1. Field
This application relates generally to managing data networks, and more particularly to managing stale data network connections.
2. Background
User equipment (UE), such as mobile devices, may maintain a connection to one or more data networks via a gateway. Mobile devices often move in and out of the coverage area of the gateway. While the mobile device is away from the coverage area, the mobile device may not receive messages, including messages terminating a connection to one or more data networks. The mobile device may also decide to terminate a particular data network connection. However, this may not be communicated to the gateway while the mobile device is outside the coverage area. When the mobile device returns to the coverage area, the mobile device may attempt to communicate with a data network connection that is no longer active, or; the applications on the mobile device may expect to continue to receive the application data. However, if the data network connection has been terminated, these actions will fail. It would be desirable to provide a method for informing the mobile device and/or the gateway of changes to active data network connections.